Tour description

Iceland is awe-inspiring. The landscape, so newly formed, refreshingly pristine, and geologically active, defies portrayal with words and pictures, although it will inspire you to try! Steam rises from hot pools on volcanic mountainsides, and glacier-fed waterfalls tumble down to the lush lands below. We have combined the best scenery with the least used roads, and the most comfortable hotels, to create a bicycle tour you'll never forget. We provide abundant vehicle support (guided tour only), while you ride the wide open spaces, breathing clear air warmed by the Gulf Stream, and bathing in water heated by the earth. When the road beckons in front of you, and the sun illuminates the rivers, pastures, and icecaps all around, you will be moved by the sheer magnificence of your surroundings. You may ponder, as you gaze into the Mid-Atlantic Rift, or soak in your hotpot beneath the midnight sun, the humbling power of the dynamic earth.

The cycling begins in Hveragerði, not far from Reykjavik. You will ride your bike around the lake of Þingvallvatn to the ancient parliament at Þingvellir, then to Geysir and the impressive waterfall at Gullfoss. Skirting the mountains on fairly level roads at their base, you will cross the fertile Biskupstungur (“Fields between Rivers”) to the lava fields below Mount Hekla, and riding under the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier between Hvollsvollur and Vik before taking a ferry to the spectacular Westman Islands for a final afternoon of exploration on foot. You will rest in a charming combination of small inns, Scandinavian-style guesthouses, and comfortable hotels. You will be able to bicycle until your heart’s content.

Highlights

Reykjavik

Quiet cycling around the shore of LakeÞingvallvatn

Clear glacial waters at the Mid-Atlantic rift

Skalholt, a modern church with stained glass mosaics on the site of the first Christian bishopric in Iceland

Mt. Hekla's lava fields

Cycling around the volcano range of Hraun

Njal's Saga museum for enlightenment

Mýrdalsjökull Glacier

Skogafoss waterfall

Westman Islands, one of the world's newest islands

Learn more

Daily program

Day 1: Individual arrival
Early afternoon pickup in Reykjavik for transfer to your guesthouse in Hveragerdi. Outdoors, you will enjoy numerous hiking trails along geothermal hillsides, the hot swimming pool and "hotpot" beside the river. Indoors, you will enjoy a geothermal sauna. You will test your bikes, and depart early for dinner in a nearby coastal village, after exploring the greenhouse community, where tropical plants grow at the Arctic Circle, thanks to the unlimited hot water just beneath the earth's surface here.
Meals included: dinner

Day 2: Hveragerdi – Nesjavollum (27 miles/43 km)
Today you are on your way to Nesbud, located on the shores of Lake Þingvallvatn. You will cycle alongside the lake toward the Trans-Atlantic Rift and one fo the most geologically active areas in Iceland. The roads become quieter as the day progresses and there are a series of hills to climb as you ascend above the headland to the edge of the lake. Once you arrive at your inn, you can spend the afternoon exploring the hiking trails around the geothermal hot water plant or tackling a steep 17% climb to a stunning viewpoint.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Nesjavollum – Geysir (46 miles/74 km)
Ride on a quiet paved road around the shore of Þingvallvatn, to the site of the world's oldest surviving parliament at Þingvellir. There you can stand on the edge of the Mid-Atlantic rift, and enjoy gazing into the depths of the clear glacial water of the lake, at the divergence zone of tectonic plates. From here, you'll bike to the namesake of all geysers, at Geysir. Stop for lunch options overlooking Laugarvatn, then ride the rolling road along its shore toward Geysir. You will spend the night in private cottages near the geyser, which will allow you to visit it after the crowds from Reykjavik have left for the day. Watch the late-night sunset as you sit beside this magnificent natural wonder.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner

Day 4: Geysir to Fludir or Brjánstaðir, via Gullfoss (44 miles/70 km)
Visit the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss, then enjoy a downstream ride along the banks of the Hvita River. Afternoon optional stop at Skalholt, a modern church with stained glass mosaics on the ancient site of the first Christian bishopric in Iceland. This spiritual center has been a theological powerhouse since 1000A.D. In 1953 foundations were laid for the new church. During excavation, the remains of a 1309 cathedral were found, including the carved coffin of Pall Jonsson, a hard-as-nails bishop whose death in 1211, according to Pals Saga, was greeted with an earth tremor and deluge. When excavators opened the coffin in 1953, there was a downpour again – the biggest in many years.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner

Day 5: Fludir to Leirubakki, with afternoon hiking option (43 miles/71 km)
Today's long ride takes you up the banks of the Pjorsa River, by the newly constructed hydroelectric facility at Stöng, and downstream to a uniquely Scandinavian retreat in the middle of the volcano Mt. Hekla's lava fields. Along the way, you will visit the reconstruction of traditional Icelandic homestead which was abandoned in 1104, during an eruption of Hekla. You may even be able to take a short hike to a beautiful waterfall nearby. The most intrepid cyclists can ride the rest of the way to the hotel, across a hydroelectric dam and endless fields of lava and pumice. The hotpot at your hotel will be a welcome site if you decide to do this afternoon ride!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Landsveit – Sudurlandsvegur (34 miles/54 km)
Start the day biking on quiet roads through farmlands and around the volcano range of Hraun, near the valley of Þórsmörk. Stop on the way to visit Keldur, a prime example of later homesteading featured in Njal's Sagas. When you arrive at your hotel you may have time before dinner to ride to nearby village of Hvollsvöllur, where you can visit the Njal's Saga museum for enlightenment about this integral part of Icelandic culture.

Day 7: Sudurlandsvegur – along the coast to Skogafoss waterfall (31 miles/52 km)
Follow the coast under the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. The wind blows here, and we adjust the day's plan to take advantage of a tailwind. The ride is flat except for a couple of good climbs near Vik. You will gather for a picnic lunch beneath the waterfall Skogafoss, where distractions include a very interesting folk museum. Additional options include visiting the glacier and seeing the puffin colony at Dyrholaey.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Westman Islands or Thorsmork
A short ferry between cliff-dwelling seabird colonies will take you today to the Westman Islands, where a recent eruption created Surtsey – one of the world's newest islands. It also forced a night-time evacuation of 5300 residents, and buried 400 homes under a new 600ft mountain of fresh lava. You can climb this still-warm lava mountain. The story is fascinating and the location provides a particularly beautiful setting for the last day of this adventure. Return to Reykjavik by 5:00pm.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch

Daily program

Day 1: Individual arrival
Early afternoon pickup in Reykjavik for transfer to your guesthouse in Hveragerdi. Outdoors, you will enjoy numerous hiking trails along geothermal hillsides, the hot swimming pool and "hotpot" beside the river. Indoors, you will enjoy a geothermal sauna. You will test your bikes, and depart early for dinner in a nearby coastal village, after exploring the greenhouse community, where tropical plants grow at the Arctic Circle, thanks to the unlimited hot water just beneath the earth's surface here.

Day 2: Hveragerdi – Nesjavollum (27 miles/43 km)
Today you are on your way to Nesbud, located on the shores of Lake Þingvallvatn. You will cycle alongside the lake toward the Trans-Atlantic Rift and one fo the most geologically active areas in Iceland. The roads become quieter as the day progresses and there are a series of hills to climb as you ascend above the headland to the edge of the lake. Once you arrive at your inn, you can spend the afternoon exploring the hiking trails around the geothermal hot water plant or tackling a steep 17% climb to a stunning viewpoint.

Day 3: Nesjavollum – Geysir (46 miles/74 km)
Ride on a quiet paved road around the shore of Þingvallvatn, to the site of the world's oldest surviving parliament at Þingvellir. There you can stand on the edge of the Mid-Atlantic rift, and enjoy gazing into the depths of the clear glacial water of the lake, at the divergence zone of tectonic plates. From here, you'll bike to the namesake of all geysers, at Geysir. Stop for lunch options overlooking Laugarvatn, then ride the rolling road along its shore toward Geysir. You will spend the night in private cottages near the geyser, which will allow you to visit it after the crowds from Reykjavik have left for the day. Watch the late-night sunset as you sit beside this magnificent natural wonder.

Day 4: Geysir to Fludir or Brjánstaðir, via Gullfoss (44 miles/70 km)
Visit the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss, then enjoy a downstream ride along the banks of the Hvita River. Afternoon optional stop at Skalholt, a modern church with stained glass mosaics on the ancient site of the first Christian bishopric in Iceland. This spiritual center has been a theological powerhouse since 1000A.D. In 1953 foundations were laid for the new church. During excavation, the remains of a 1309 cathedral were found, including the carved coffin of Pall Jonsson, a hard-as-nails bishop whose death in 1211, according to Pals Saga, was greeted with an earth tremor and deluge. When excavators opened the coffin in 1953, there was a downpour again – the biggest in many years.

Day 5: Fludir to Leirubakki, with afternoon hiking option (43 miles/71 km)
Today's long ride takes you up the banks of the Pjorsa River, by the newly constructed hydroelectric facility at Stöng, and downstream to a uniquely Scandinavian retreat in the middle of the volcano Mt. Hekla's lava fields. Along the way, you will visit the reconstruction of traditional Icelandic homestead which was abandoned in 1104, during an eruption of Hekla. You may even be able to take a short hike to a beautiful waterfall nearby. The most intrepid cyclists can ride the rest of the way to the hotel, across a hydroelectric dam and endless fields of lava and pumice. The hotpot at your hotel will be a welcome site if you decide to do this afternoon ride!

Day 6: Landsveit – Sudurlandsvegur (34 miles/54 km)
Start the day biking on quiet roads through farmlands and around the volcano range of Hraun, near the valley of Þórsmörk. Stop on the way to visit Keldur, a prime example of later homesteading featured in Njal's Sagas. When you arrive at your hotel you may have time before dinner to ride to nearby village of Hvollsvöllur, where you can visit the Njal's Saga museum for enlightenment about this integral part of Icelandic culture.

Day 7: Sudurlandsvegur – along the coast to Skogafoss waterfall (31 miles/52 km)
Follow the coast under the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. The wind blows here, and we adjust the day's plan to take advantage of a tailwind. The ride is flat except for a couple of good climbs near Vik. You might enjoy a picnic lunch beneath the waterfall Skogafoss, where distractions include a very interesting folk museum. Additional options include visiting the glacier and seeing the puffin colony at Dyrholaey.

Day 8: Westman Islands or Thorsmork
A short ferry between cliff-dwelling seabird colonies will take you today to the Westman Islands, where a recent eruption created Surtsey – one of the world's newest islands. It also forced a night-time evacuation of 5300 residents, and buried 400 homes under a new 600ft mountain of fresh lava. You can climb this still-warm lava mountain. The story is fascinating and the location provides a particularly beautiful setting for the last day of this adventure. Return to Reykjavik by 5:00pm.

Surface and terrain

You will cycle on mainly paved roads with occasional gravel surface. Some rolling hills and lots of level riding. The riding ease is often wind-dependent, but we endeavour to ride downwind in most cases.

Hotels

These are sample hotels and may vary by availability.

Accommodations are a charming combination of small inns, Scandinavian-style guesthouses, and comfortable hotels.

Contact us with any questions about booking and paying for your tour through BikeTours.com. We look forward to serving you!

Freewheeling Adventures Terms and Conditions

All prices are per person, and are based on double occupancy.

Changes and CancellationsIf, after reserving your adventure, you want to switch to another adventure in the same calendar year, you must provide at least 60 days' notice, and pay a change fee of $100 per person (+ tax in Canada). If you want to postpone until the next calendar year, and give us at least 60 days' notice, the change fee will be $200 (+ tax in Canada). All other changes will be treated as cancellations.

Cancellations must be received in writing, and are subject to the following refund conditions: Cancellations received in writing at least 60 days in advance of start date will receive a 50% refund of any deposit paid. Cancellations received between 60 and 30 days ahead will forfeit deposit. Cancellations within 30 days require full payment of the tour cost

Solo Travelers
All adventure prices are per person, and based on double occupancy. Single occupancy charges reflect the cost of having a room by yourself. If you prefer to share or to avoid the extra cost, and are joining an advertised departure, give us as much notice as you can, and we will do our best to match you with a roommate of the same gender.

If you reserve at least 120 days in advance, and are willing to share a room, we will waive the charge even if we are unable to match you with a room-mate. From 120 to 60 days ahead, the charge will be reduced by 50%. Within 60 days, the single occupancy charge must apply until we are able to match you up. Any charge will be refunded if we are later able to match you up with a room-mate.

Please note that where suitable shared occupancy is not available, a pro-rated single occupancy charge will apply. Please also note that private groups are not eligible for single occupancy exemption.

Triple Occupancy
If a third participant shares a room with two other full-paying guests, they will receive a 15% adventure discount, pro-rated to reflect availability of triple lodging. This will become 20% if they are 12 or under, or 50% if under five years old, and can accept a temporary bed.

Our Changes
We reserve the right to change prices and itineraries without notice. If relevant currency exchange differs significantly between advertised print date and final balance due date, we reserve the right to apply fair adjustment to the final balance. We reserve the right to cancel trips when circumstances make it necessary, in which case a full refund will be made to any registrants.

We guarantee your dates upon booking, with the following conditions: If there are fewer than four participants in your trip, three to four weeks prior to departure you may be given the choice of switching to self-guided, paying a premium to keep the trip guided, switching to another guided adventure, or cancelling for a full refund. We reserve the right to deny participation to anyone endangering or disrupting the enjoyment of any other trip participants, in our estimation.

How we Guarantee your Dates
We need at least four participants to operate a trip at the advertised price. If, a month or less before the departure date, there are fewer, you may be given the following choices: Switch to the self-guided format of the same trip. Cost is usually lower, and we can switch back to guided if we receive sufficient last-minute bookings. Switch to another trip in the same year. Make it a private guided trip (2-3 people), at a 20% cost premium. Cancel for a full refund.

Tax
Your tour package is subject to sales tax (5% in Alberta Quebec; 14% in Prince Edward Island; 12% in British Columbia; 15% in Nova Scotia; and 13% in Newfoundland). Non-Canadians receive a credit back of half of these amounts. We will process the refund for you, and adjust your final balance.